第27节 (第1/2页)

    【】”ar,”ralphsaid,

    quietly.

    illustration:angthegernsoldiers.

    ”oh,ihesergeantsaid,inanincredulousvoice,”and

    y”

    ”outintheforest,attheplaceofell

    trees,”ralphsaid.

    ”butpeopledoocuthouthorses,orcartsto

    takeitahesergeantpersisted.

    ”theyareupintheforesthourfather,”ralphsaid.

    ”haveyouheardanythingaboutthisparty”thesergeantaskedthe

    landlord.

    theatedant.heevidentlysuspected,also,thatthe

    boysghtbelongtothefranctireurs;andosay

    nothingthe

    ”no,”hesaid,afterapause,”itsaythatihaveheardof

    thebutikheforestlongago,and

    theyghthaveefrthisway.”

    ”oing,”percysaid,quietly,”sothatyou

    uldhardlyhaveheardofus,unlesssoofthepeopleofyour

    placehappeopass,seen

    anyone,allday.”

    ”atanyrate,”thesergeantsaid,”ishallseeifyourstorybe

    true,andyouoakeustotheplace.

    ”rpettenninreadiness.”

    ”certainly,”ralphsaid,”ifyouofinishour

    supper,heonce.”

    thesergeantnodded,andresudhisseat.

    ”lookhere,percy,”ralphsaid,quietly,”yfix,

    thisti.thereisonlyohingtobedohatisee.if

    hgotheyus,toacertainty;foralthoughone

    ghtkeaboltintheiscertainbothget

    away.

    ”onlyohingistobedone.iisbad,andask

    foryoutostayhere.directlyand

    goashardasyoutotheplaarehid.iwill

    brihatdire.heplacebefore

    youreachitatleast,unlessyougetout,atond

    passoninthedarkakeoffyourshoes,soastorunlightly.

    asakeadart

    intothehenfusion.”

    ”butyoughtbeshotbyourn,ralph.theyuldnotpossibly

    distinguishyou,inthedark.no,ien,andyou

    keyourpe.”

    ”no,no,percy,ihavethat.”

    ”veryheher.”

    thereihenralphsaid:

    ”lookhere,percy,thisisdness;hodoasi

    tellyou,binoneof

    
    ans.ifyouguesswrong,youshallgo.”

    ”veryothat.”

    ralphthenbrokeoffasllpieceofbread,andputitinoneof

    hishandshavingalready,beforehedetheproposition,broken

    offasilarpieobservedbypercy.hethenputbothhands

    uhetable,andthenliftedthegain;allthetitryingto

    appeaottobeengageduponanythingoutoftheway,asheknew

    thatsoofthegerns.

    ”left,”percysaid.

    ralphrepliedbyopenihand,anddroppingthepieceof

    breadoable;atthesatiputtinghisrighthandback

    intohispocket,asiftogetouthishandkerchiefanddropping,

    ashedidso,thepieceofbreaditntaiotheplace.

    ”there,per